Archive for May, 2015

Quick Note: Just because the season is over, doesn’t mean the fun is over. Check out our interviews with “Survivor: Worlds Apart” champ Mike Holloway and finalists Carolyn Rivera and Will Sims. And, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

Holmes: Rodney, let’s start with you. How much weight did you lose out there? It didn’t really occur to me until the finale how emaciated you were getting on those final days.Rodney Lavoie: Oh dude, I looked like a crack head. I was at 147 pounds exiting. And my natural weight every day is like 185-190. But, when I came into the game I tried to do a little strategy. Instead of putting on weight, I tried to cut down a little bit, so I think I was around 180.

Holmes: It’s cool that I’ve got you two together because you were the ones that didn’t vote for Mike. What was the rationale behind your votes?Lavoie: Ladies first, baby.Thomas: Aww…the reason I didn’t vote for Mike was because I was with him from day one and what I saw wasn’t strategic. I watched this guy pretty much lose it. He was fine and then there was this day where he got paranoid and just lost it. He was running between people, there was no strategy when it came to his social game. Yeah, he was an amazing physical threat, but that’s all I saw him as. Mama C., she was keeping up with all the guys, winning immunities, being the oldest person, being the last woman in there, she was holding her own. And she did, in my eyes, have a better social game. She was our mom out there and that’s why I thought she deserved my vote.Holmes: Rodney, how about your vote for Will?Lavoie: My vote for Will was because I played the game with a lot of pride, a lot of loyalty. And the reason I made it as far as I did was the big move I made at the merge. When Sierra and them blindsided me with Joaquin, it lit a fire under my ass. I realized that I was on the bottom of this (In His Mike Voice) “Blue-coller strong.”Holmes: (Laughs)Lavoie: I had to make a move. I took Will and said, we’re going to let Mike run the ship, but we’ll let him run it for a little bit then we’ll take out Joe, Jenn, Hali, and Shirin. I call it, then what happens? They all go on the jury. And then when he flips we start our Axis of Evil. But, I also had my blues. And the way I got Sierra and Dan back over is the love letters. People don’t understand that those love letters at the auction they mean more than what you see when you’re sitting on your ass watching from home. Sierra loves her family just like how I do. She read those before every challenge. And I give Mike props because he was on top of my game. He knew that I was out there and making moves, but he blew it up at the wrong time. That’s bad strategy. Was he smart for knowing that information? Yes. Was he horrible for doing it right when we got our love letters? Absolutely.Thomas: (Laughs)Lavoie: I give Mike props because he’s a challenge beast. His back was against the wall and he said (expletive deleted) you guys, I’m winning this.Holmes: For the record, feel free to throw in as many impressions as you want.Lavoie: (Laughs) Alright, brother. I gotcha.

Holmes: Sierra, how did you and Dan come back together after he was berating you when Lindsey was eliminated?Thomas: So, I was in a very vulnerable place coming back from that Tribal. I was blindsided, I thought I was going home. And then for all of them to tell me how they feel about me was really hard. Any other day I maybe could have handled it, but in that situation it was really tough. It strained mine and Dan’s relationship. With time it got better. He apologized about 100 times when we were out there. There came a point where I got really annoyed and I said, “If you apologize one more time I’m going to kill you. I get it. You’re sorry.” But with time it got better. I had no choice. I could be a girl and play with my emotions or I could buck up buttercup and play the game.Holmes: For the record, feel free to say “Buck up, buttercup” as often you like.Thomas: (Laughs) You got it.

Holmes: Going back to Mike’s move with the letter at the auction. Dan’s take seemed to be that you’re expected to lie in the game, but Mike’s move seemed personal. Did Mike’s move seem like a game move or did it seem personal?Thomas: At the moment it felt a little personal. But that was Mike’s game. He was out of control all the time. I couldn’t expect any more from him than to do that. He was wild and doing all of those things. It didn’t feel personal to me because I was like, “I don’t care, I’m dropping my $20.” He should have just stuck with it. It was weird when he was wishy-washy about it.Lavoie: It’s the same thing as Carolyn promising me. They make it seem like I’m a crybaby, whiny person, but Sierra told me straight up, “I’m not giving you no reward. I’m not giving you shit.” And that’s alright, but Mama C. promised me twice. And when you promise someone something…it’s like at Christmas when you promise your kid that a toy truck is going to be under the tree. And then I go there and the toy truck isn’t under the tree…not once, but twice. Don’t promise me if you’re not going to keep it. But Mike made a promise to Dan, and Dan (In His Dan Voice) “Loves his wife, Erin.”Thomas: Oh my gosh, I thought that was Dan on the phone.Holmes: So good!Lavoie: We all are going for this advantage, and Shirin came up with the bright idea that we could all get our love letters if we put the game on pause. Mike, could it have been good gameplay for him? Of course, but this is a social game. It don’t matter how many immunity necklaces you have because that only keeps you safe for one week. It’s the bonds you build that will take you to the end. That’s why me and Sierra were in the top five.

Holmes: Probst did that gimmick last night where he asked how many votes Rodney would have gotten at the final Tribal. And it looked like you would have done better than Carolyn or Will. Do you think when Mike chose to stick with Carolyn it was because he thought you’d be harder to beat in front of the jury?Lavoie: Mike will explain it to you, but yeah. With the impressions I got everybody laughing. And I was struggling. I couldn’t wait to get to the final Tribal to be able to tell my case. But what you saw was Jenn Brown pointing to the jury and everyone was exploding and going nuts when she said, “Mike Holloway this, Mike Holloway that. Mike Holloway is God. If you don’t vote for him, you’re stupid.” And what happened? She raised her hand and said she’d vote for me. Everyone was like, “Whoa, why is Jenn Brown going to vote for Rodney?” This is coming after Mike gets the hero edit. So, if I won the edit would have been different. If Sierra had won the edit would have been different.

Holmes: At final six the alliance decided to target Carolyn. She was able to save herself, but why was the decision made to go after her if she wasn’t going to be a big threat at the end?Thomas: She was a threat to me. That’s why I thought she had to go. That’s why I voted for. The whole time I played this game I thought, “Who do I want to be with at the end.” And in my eyes that was not Mama C. I thought we could get rid of her, we struck, but she had the idol.Lavoie: That was the point in the game where those two promises got personal for me. Me and Mama C. were in a really strong alliance. She voted with me every single time.

Holmes: Was there any talk of keeping Tyler in as he had an immunity win and could have matched up with Mike?Lavoie: I love Tyler outside of the game. Inside the game I did not see him as a threat of all. All he did was stay very quiet. He didn’t want to strategize with me. He’d always told me (In His Tyler Voice) “Hold that thought, and we’ll get back to it.” Bro, we’re about to have a Tribal. What do you mean, “Hold that thought”? In that case, he went home because he held that information about Carolyn’s idol. You don’t share that with me and Will? I proved to Tyler my loyalty. Who was on the bottom after Joaquin was blindsided? Me and Tyler. I told Tyler, “Me and you just got screwed over. Now I’m on the bottom with you.” And then, Tyler gets caught with Joe when Joe tries deep throating the clue. And you know what the clue is and you tell Mike exactly what the clue said? And then Mike finds the idol? Those two things right there…that’s just really bad gameplay if you ask me.Thomas: Tyler was so silent it was creepy. He was so quiet. This person is playing a great game and he has amazing strategy and he’s going to do something big at some point. He’s not a great athlete, so that part didn’t scare me. But, I just thought he had more up his sleeve. Like Rodney said, you would go to talk to him and he’d be like “Shh…we’ll talk later.” And he’d never talk to anyone. It was so weird. It freaked me out.

Holmes: This was a season that featured a lot of “Survivor” fans, but you two hadn’t seen much of the show going in. Where are you with the show now?Lavoie: Last night, getting that birthday cake and celebrating my birthday for the twenty five millionth time now…having Jeff Probst giving me a signed picture of him with his hair slicked back, looking like a GQ model, he hands me a birthday cake, everybody singing “Happy Birthday” on national television, that’s something I’ll never forget for the rest of my life. It’s the best reality show of all time. It’s something you can pop in the DVD and think “Holy (expletive deleted), this is something that will go down in the history books.”Thomas: I’m grateful. It’s amazing. I’ve made genuine relationships with every one of my castmates. To me, that’s worth more than the money. It’s an amazing game and I got to go far in it.

Holmes: I know you guys are super busy today, thank you so much for your time.Lavoie: (In His Mike Voice) “Thank you! I can’t wait to spend the million dollars! We’ll go to Texas!”Holmes: I will never get tired of that.

Quick Note: Just because the season is over, doesn’t mean the fun is over. Check back for exit interviews with the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” final five. And, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

Holmes: Carolyn, it was somewhat surprising when Mike chose you over Rodney. We’d been hearing that most people wanted to go to the end with Rodney and Will. Do you think he was trying to impress the jury by taking someone who is strong, or do you think he was secretly worried about Rodney?Rivera: I think he took the people that he felt deserved it the most, honestly. I think what he did is he put it in our hands. He didn’t vote for me because he knew that Will and Rodney were voting for me. He wanted to go to a fire challenge and whoever wins deserves to be there.

Holmes: Will, I’m sure you’re going to get this question a lot today, and I’m sorry if this is uncomfortable…Sims: No, let’s do it!Holmes: Alright, whatever happened to those sandwiches you promised on day one?Sims: (Laughs) We got wraps. I didn’t have enough ingredients to make bread, so I made wraps.

Holmes: Now, of course what I was getting at was your confrontation with Shirin. Take me back to when you were told people thought you might be lying about the snacks. How did it get so heated?Sims: Multiple people came up to me, it wasn’t just Tyler, it was Dan as well. And, they were saying, “Shirin is saying awful things about you.” She was saying awful things about me and Dan the whole game, you guys never saw that. They said I was hiding food, and that set me off. Here I am making this kind gesture…we’re all out there starving. And I shared my food which was gone in one day and you’re going to question me about it? I just went off.Holmes: We were given the impression that it was Mike, Shirin, and Jenn who were questioning the snacks. How did you react toward Mike and Jenn?Sims: I was going off on Mike and Shirin at the same time. You guys didn’t see that. I’m yelling at Mike and I’m yelling at her. It looks like Mike just came in and saved the day. That’s not how it happened.Holmes: And Jenn?Sims: Jenn wasn’t anywhere around at all.Holmes: Why did it go to, “You’re not a woman, you don’t have a soul, your family doesn’t love you.” Instead of “You’re calling me a liar, and that’s (expletive deleted).”Sims: It got to that level on the way she was treating certain people. Shirin was not the nicest person out there. I know some of you drink the Shirin Kool-Aid and that’s fine, you’re going by what you see. We were living in that moment.Holmes: Well yeah, I know Carolyn was the nicest person out there.Sims: Yeah, that’s why we call her “Mama.”Holmes: I was just checking to make sure you’re still there.Rivera: (Laughs) Yeah, I’m still here.Holmes: At the end of the day, it’s still a game. Was there ever concern about losing Shirin’s potential jury vote or had that ship long since passed?Sims: Oh, that vote was gone at the split. I knew when she came to Nagarote.Holmes: What has the reaction been like from fans?Sims: I’ve gotten a lot more positive than negative. Everybody that’s come up to me on the street, the first thing they say is, “Can I get a picture?” And then, “I didn’t like Shirin either.”

Holmes: Carolyn, this was a big one for me; would you have played your idol if Dan hadn’t played his double vote? I was wondering if that tipped you off.Rivera: I knew that my name was on the chopping block that day. The funny thing about the whole idol thing is that I only brought it to Tribal on two occasions. I was planning on using my idol that day. What I didn’t realize was that every single person except for Mike was going to be voting for me. I knew I was going to get votes, I was shocked by the number of votes. I wasn’t going to be the one that went home with an idol in her pocket. But when Dan played his advantage, I was pretending to be really scared because I didn’t want them to know I had the idol. Then I did the drama and waited a few seconds before playing it. I really enjoyed that moment.Holmes: As did I.Rivera: (Laughs)

Holmes: It seems like you both bonded with Rodney really quickly after the merge. How did that come about?Sims: I clicked with Rodney from day one. Something about us, we vibed. At the the merge he was the first person to talk to me. He went and talked to Mike and I had talked to Kelly before the merge. Mike took me down to the river and that’s how that happened.Rivera: It was kind of the same thing. I saw that he was from Boston, I was from New York. It’s a bit of a rivalry, but I knew it was that northeast thing. We clicked from the beginning. We stuck together. Will and I clicked when I went to Nagarote beach. We knew we were going to stick together. That’s how we became the Axis of Evil. (Laughs)Sims: (Laughs) I’d forgotten about that. We were the Axis of Evil!Holmes: That is a hell of a nickname.Rivera: I love it.

Holmes: When you made the call to target Tyler, was it ever discussed that it might be worth it to keep him around in hopes that he could beat Mike in a challenge?Rivera: Tyler was not as much of an immunity threat as Mike. Mike was clearly going to win those. But, Tyler was more of a threat from a likability factor. Sitting next to him in the end would be a problem.

Holmes: It’s ironic that you two are paired together today, cause you’re our karaoke singers. Sims: We sang a lot! They would always say, “Quit singing, we don’t have the rights.”Rivera: (Laughs)Sims: But we’d sing all the time. We had a great time.

Holmes: Carolyn, I feel like you might have been hosed on this Second Chance thing.Sims: She did get hosed, don’t say she might have been.Holmes: Carolyn was hosed.Rivera: Thank you.Holmes: You weren’t allowed to campaign, your big moment with the idol didn’t happen until midway through the vote.Rivera: It wasn’t meant to be. They’d better bring me back soon. I’m ready. Everybody knows I should be there.Sims: We’re coming back for “Heroes vs. Villains.” I’m a villain and she’s the hero.Holmes and Rivera: (Laughs)

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with So.Rivera: Great person.Sims: Beautiful.Holmes: Vince?Sims: Unconventional.Rivera: His own person.Holmes: Nina?Sims: Sweet.Rivera: So genuine.Holmes: Lindsey?Rivera: Strong.Sims: Feisty.Holmes: Max?Sims: A good guy.Rivera: Gamer.Holmes: Joaquin?Rivera: New York connection.Sims: Charismatic.Holmes: Kelly?Rivera: Kelly is real.Sims: Strong.Holmes: Hali?Sims: Bubbly.Rivera: She was always smiling. I’m not good at this when I’m drunk in the morning.Holmes: No wrong answers here. Joe.Sims: Amazing!Holmes: I’ve heard that.Rivera: Joey Amazing! I would say he’s Macgyver.Holmes: Jenn?Rivera: Fiery.Sims: The real deal.Holmes: Shirin?Rivera: I will say that she is her own person.Sims: Liar.Holmes: Tyler?Sims: Schemer.Rivera: Friendly.Holmes: Dan?Sims: Misunderstood.Rivera: Straight forward.Holmes: Sierra?Rivera: Darling.Sims: Delightful.Holmes: Rodney?Rivera: Feisty.Sims: The truth.Holmes: And we’ll finish off with Millionaire Mike.Sims: The champ!Rivera: He’s the winner.

Holmes: Dan had a really rough reunion. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I don’t think Dan’s a bad guy at all...Sims: He’s not.Holmes: Yeah, I truly don’t. I just think he got a hard lesson in reality TV. What state of mind was he in last night after the reunion?Sims: He’s pissed. He’s upset. It seems like he got ambushed a little bit. I think they did him wrong. It was very uncomfortable for us to watch. It seemed like they had an agenda to make Dan look bad and eat his words. Cause Dan’s not that guy. Most of Dan’s comments were taken out of context. Dan’s not a woman hater, Dan’s not a misogynist. He’s not degrading women. Dan was one of the nicest guys out there, he’s just brutally honest. He’ll give you the shirt off his back, but if you push him he’s going to push back.Rivera: I think that Dan…I don’t think it’s malicious intent. He has a very strong personality. He’s been trying to get on the show for ten years.Sims: Fifteen.Rivera: Right. He wanted to be remembered and some of those things may have played into how he played the game.

Holmes: Moments like Will and Shirin’s confrontation and Dan and Mike’s letter fiasco have kind of overshadowed a lot of the excitement this season.Rivera: I really don’t want this season to be remembered as the season of fighting. It’s so annoying to me that that’s what people see it as. I think we have a close-knit cast. I think most of us will be friends for a long time. And there were so many funny, positive stories. That’s the way I want people to remember it.Sims: I had a ball. I went to the end with the best in the game. I was happy to be there. Mike is LeBron James, Mama C. is Kobe Bryant, and then me…being me. (Laughs)Rivera: (Laughs)Sims: I can take a shot too.Rivera: That’s true, you didn’t get there for nothing.

Rivera: Gordon, I have a bone to pick with you.Holmes: Uh oh, what did I do?Rivera: Every single picture you took those first three days, I was either mean-faced…you get all the young girls smiling and looking like a million bucks. I’ve got my rolls in my stomach, and my mean face on.Holmes: In my defense, I was at White Collar beach for a little over an hour and you spent most of the time in the shelter.Rivera: Oh, really?Sims: I have a bone to pick too. You didn’t show my pictures until my wife sent you something on Twitter.Holmes: I didn’t have much of you, because when I was at No Collar, you were off on the beach looking for the idol.Sims: Well, you should of followed me. (Laughs)Holmes: Alright, when I come out for “Heroes vs. Villains 2,” when you see me I want big smiles and dramatic poses.

Quick Note: Just because the season is over, doesn’t mean the fun is over. Check back for exit interviews with the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” final five. And, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

Mike Holloway: (Singing) Gordoooooooon.Gordon Holmes: Aww…that’s the first time a millionaire has ever sung my name.Holloway: Oh man, I’ll sing it from the rooftops, buddy. How are you?Holmes: I don’t have a million bucks, but I’m feeling like a million bucks because I got to watch you take home the big check.Holloway: I appreciate it, you should feel like a million bucks. Didn’t I hear that you’re getting married?Holmes: Yes, sir.Holloway: Dude, that’s worth a million dollars. Finding a good woman to put up with our (expletive deleted).Holmes: She’s worth way more than a million bucks. And she puts up with so much (expletive deleted). Can I get a happy dance for that?Holloway: Dude! I just got up, I’m doing a happy dance right now.Holmes: Are you the only person I’m talking to today that doesn’t have a hangover?Holloway: People were trying to buy me beers and shots, but I knew we had interviews today. But, some people got a little…on the side of not sober last night…we were blindsiding sobriety.Holmes: This is the part of the interview where CBS begs us to talk about “Survivor.”Holloway: No, this is your time and my time, brother.

Holmes: Alright, Rodney vs. Carolyn. I was under the impression that a lot more people liked Rodney then they were letting on. So, were you worried that Rodney might sway some votes or did you want to take Carolyn along because it’d seem like you were taking someone strong?Holloway: Taking nothing away from Carolyn or Rodney, I felt like I could beat either one of them in the finals. But, the fire decision was to show the rest of the jury, “Hey look, we’ve been out here so long and these guys are taking 50 minutes to make a fire.”Holmes: (Laughs)Holloway: (Laughs) I had to show the jury, I couldn’t tell them. It’s like Dan, I couldn’t tell Dan that he was on the bottom. I had to show him. But the decision to take Carolyn over Rodney was that Rodney had turned a page in the game. Rodney had started being very humorous. And at the end of the game in “Survivor,” humor goes a long way. And I don’t think Rodney’s getting enough strategic respect for the game that he played.Holmes: Agreed.Holloway: He put together an alliance of people that he should have never been able to pull. When I left the game, I was like, “Oh Rodney. Rodney, Rodney, Rodney.” But then I watched his moves from the edit and pairing that with the experience of being there, and he played a great game. A scary game.

Holmes: When I talked to Dan about your move at the auction, his argument seemed to be that his lies were strategic, and your move with the letter was personal. Where did you stand on that move?Holloway: The auction move strategically was brilliant. Socially it was like getting a hangman’s noose, putting it over a tree, getting on your horse, and letting the horse ride off with the noose around your neck. I was really upset with myself that I did lie. In that moment I went back on my word.Holmes: Before the game we talked about lying and you said that your family is your family and the players aren’t. I think we used the term “Harder Mike.” You were going to lie.Holloway: Yeah.Holmes: It’s so different once you depend on these people, they become your family.Holloway: I went into the game on the fence about whether I wanted to be a hero or a villain. You can play both. It’s not something that I’m proud of. That particular lie…but my Mom told me, “You’ve got to do whatever you have to do to win this game. You’ve committed yourself to play this game. If you’ve got to lie, cheat, steal, backstab to win the game.”

Holmes: When Will and Shirin had their confrontation, you came to Shirin’s aid. Was there any part of you that was thinking, “Well, as long as they’re not yelling at me” or did you have to step in?Holloway: No strategy there. I was abused as a child. It’s in my bio. I was sexually molested as a child. That kind of stuff hits home for me. It’s a hot-button issue. I heard what was going on from very far away. So, I was running into camp, and if it was going to blow up my game or not, I didn’t care. That’s a young lady right there being attacked, not just by one person, but by the other people there as well…just sitting there. And it’s tough because a lot of people have never dealt with a situation like that before and it’s easy to just step back. But, there were people that I stood up for in the game, and thank God for my two beautiful angels, Shirin and Jenn Brown. They stood up for me at final Tribal. Before that those girls had a special place in my heart. But for that reason alone, they will always have my respect.

Holmes: Your mom got to play a little bit last night when she steered you the wrong way in the challenge. When you got home did you let her off the hook or did you keep quiet?Holloway: My mom was so beside herself. She thought she had ruined my whole game. When I got back home I said, “Mom, what are you talking about?” I got to that first medallion so quick that they weren’t able to focus. I grabbed that thing…Gordon, I grabbed that first medallion…we can ask Jeff Probst to go back and check the tape, I guess.Holmes: I hear he does that now.Holloway: (Laughs) Apparently he does. But I let my mom off the hook. I broke down in front of her and let her know that I won that challenge convincingly. She’s so awesome. When she came out there she was 100% selfless. She gave me everything I needed in that moment to make it the rest of the game. She gave me such an advantage in that challenge.

Holmes: You won the million, my mom has a huge crush on you.Holloway: (Laughs)Holmes: But do you have a Rodney impression?Holloway: Oh man, no…YOU’D BETTER RELAX, BRO!Holmes: (Laughs)Holloway: That’s all I’ve got. Rodney is so good at impressions that I would never try to jump on his train.

Holmes: When we were out there you and I talked about a dude from Texas who played the game, dominated challenges, and lost. Now we’ve got a guy who did that and won. So, now who’s the best player from the Lone Star State?Holloway: Kim Spradlin.Holmes: Oh yeah…excellent point.

Quick Note: Just because the season is over, doesn’t mean the fun is over. Check back for exit interviews with the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” final five. And, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

We start off after last week’s crazytown Tribal with Rodney telling Carolyn that he’s upset with her because she didn’t tell them about her idol. However, Carolyn doesn’t feel too bad about it because they VOTED FOR HER.

Reward Challenge Time: The players will race under a net, then they’ll slide tiles through a target. After that they’ll use a machete to carry the tiles across an obstacle course. They’ll then use the tiles to figure out a combination. First person to open their lock and raise their flag wins time with their loved one and an advantage in the next immunity challenge.

Wait…this is a loved-ones challenge? Oh man…cue the tears…

Carolyn’s husband is out first, adorable…

Mike’s mom is out next. Equally adorable!

We meet Rodney’s dad, and hilariously, Rodney calls him “Bro.” Our Boston buddy also breaks down a little bit which is odd considering this happened…

“My father would see me crying, and he’d be like, ‘Are you bleeding? No? Then get the (expletive deleted) back up. You (expletive deleted).’ That’s how I was taught. There are no tears. One of the guys said that 80% of the people cry on this show. You’re not going to see a single tear out of me.” – Rodney (About Two Days Before the Game Started)

Rodney goes on to explain that his time in the game has helped him get over the death of his sister. That’s awesome. Good for him.

Sierra’s dad is next and he’s even taller than her! A family of giants!

Finally we get to meet Will’s wife. She still thinks he’s cute despite 30-some days in the wilderness.

The challenge starts off and Will has an early lead…wait, what?

Mike’s the first one to complete the tile sliding portion. He’s followed by Will, Rodney, and Sierra.

From there, Mike destroys the obstacle course portion. He figures out the combination and wins reward.

Back at camp, Mike’s mom Deborah is making herself at home. The Texas twosome goes for a walk and Mike fills her in on what’s going on in the game.

In a cute moment, he lends her his Texan swimwear so they can go in the water together. I adore Mike’s mom.

Later on, Mike and Deborah are allowed to spend time figuring out the next challenge. It’s a blindfold maze. She tries to lead him through the maze, but she makes a few mistakes. She feels terrible about this and is worried that she just screwed up his game.

Could you imagine? That’d make Thanksgiving awkward.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will be blindfolded and placed in the middle of a maze. They’ll have to find four medallions and then the immunity necklace. First person to retrieve the necklace wins immunity.

We start off and there isn’t much to describe except for stumblin’ and a-bumblin’.

Mike is the first one to retrieve a medallion and he maintains that lead throughout the whole thing. Rodney even tries to help Sierra and Will, but it doesn’t matter. Mike wins immunity.

It wasn’t even close.

Quick Aside: I hate the challenge advantages. That was awful and boring.

Back at Merica Beach, Carolyn and Sierra approach Mike about getting rid of Rodney. Mike says he’s fine either way and isn’t writing Carolyn’s name down. But, he doesn’t like that everyone was working together in the challenge against him.

Sierra tries to mend fences and says she’ll vote with Mike. She swears 100% on her father’s love. C’mon, Sierra. Mike doesn’t work with percentages that low.

Later, Mike tells Rodney that the women are targeting him. Rodney counters by saying that Sierra has a better shot of beating Mike at final three.

That night at Tribal Council, Dan looks really annoyed that Mike has immunity.

Mike knows he’s the swing vote. But, he doesn’t trust anyone to get him to the final three.

Rodney says that he swore his vote on his sister’s life. Father’s love vs. sister’s life…yikes.

Sierra says she’s playing hard and she’s been second place behind Mike many times. Probst calls her out, saying she might be pointing out that she’s a threat.

Will says Mike’s out if he doesn’t win the next immunity. Way to keep him on your side there, buddy.

Also, Will says that’s a 150,000% certainty. Now there’s a percentage Mike can understand!

Voting Time: Rodney votes for Sierra, Sierra votes for Rodney, and the rest are secret.

Probst tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Sierra, one vote for Rodney, one vote for Sierra, and the fourteenth person to be eliminated from “Survivor: Worlds Apart” and the seventh member of the jury is…Sierra.

Wow…I thought Carolyn was an obvious first boot.

Immunity Challenge Time: Players will untie knots to open a gate. Then they’ll race to the top of a tower to retrieve a key. Once they have the key they’ll slide down a giant slide and climb to the top of structure to retrieve a bag of puzzle pieces. Then they’ll do it again. Once they have all three bags, they’ll have to put together a light tower puzzle. First person to complete their puzzle wins immunity.

Mike gets an early lead, but Will and Carolyn are right behind him.

Will and Carolyn are dragging, Rodney eventually passes them.

Mike is the first to retrieve all three bags. He goes to work on his puzzle. Rodney isn’t too far behind. Carolyn and Will catch up as well.

Carolyn does well with the puzzle, but Mike’s lead was too much. Mike wins immunity.

So, the winner of “Survivor: Worlds Apart” by a vote of seven to one is…Mike.

Before we head to commercial, everyone congratulates and hugs one another. Will, Carolyn, and Rodney even ask to put the necklace on Mike. That’s nice.

Then, Mike treats us to some happy dance! Even better!

Politicking around camp starts with Rodney and Will wanting Carolyn gone because you can’t win the game against a Mama. Ummm…Missy is someone’s Mama.

Mike tells Carolyn that he’s not going to vote for her because his Blue Collar compadres turned on him. He wants Carolyn and Rodney to have to build fire as the tie-breaker. He tells Carolyn that she should start practicing. Lucky for her the tie-breaker isn’t clever impressions.

Like it matters, any combo of this final four will lose to Mike.

That night at Tribal, Mike says he was moved by the others wanting to put the necklace on him at the challenge.

Rodney and Carolyn both appreciate that they’re in danger.

Mike says they’re both threats and it says a lot that they got this far.

Quick Aside: Dan is making so many exaggerated faces that he’s probably going to owe Eliza Orlins royalties after the show.

Voting Time: Caroyln votes for Rodney, Rodney votes for Carolyn, and the rest are super secret.

JPro tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Rodney, two votes for Carolyn, and the final vote is for…Rodney. We’ve got a tie.

Tie-Breaking Challenge: First person to build a fire high enough to burn through a rope gets to stay. Loser joins the jury.

We start off and Mama C’s flint breaks six minutes into it. Probst has a back up for her. Eventually Rodney needs a second flint too.

So, the fifteenth person to be eliminated from “Survivor: Worlds Apart” and the eighth and final member of the jury is…Rodney.

As Rodney’s saying his farewell testimony, he says that he’s going to make Mike pay for making him do a fire challenge.

The next morning, the threesome is greeted by the traditional Day 39 brunch.

Wow…the final three is one from each collar. Hakuna Matata.

They each talk about how their collarness led them to the end. Mike says he has a battle waiting for him. Yeah…too many votes are going to be thrown at him.

That night at Tribal, Joe bats lead-off. He claims his vote is open at this point. He tells Will he won’t vote for him unless he owns his game. He tells Mama C. that she has to show how she outsmarted people. Then, he says Mike has to prove that he did things other than winning immunity.

Joe, he won like a billion immunities. Give him a break.

Hali asks Carolyn if being in the mother role has been a disadvantage. She says she embraced the mother role because everyone was younger than her.

Rodney goes next. He asks Will how he kept things real. Will says that he knew he was going to be the underdog. He tried to make friends and was very giving by sharing his snacks. He says he has a relationship with everyone except Shirin.

Shirin agrees.

Rodney then asks Carolyn what moves she made. She says she axed Tyler because she couldn’t beat him. She also admits that she was one of the few people who voted for Dan. Well played, Carolyn.

Tyler is batting clean-up. He asks Mike about his social game because he feels like Mike became paranoid toward the end. Mike says he wanted to do better socially than he did, but he thinks he failed.

Dan agrees.

Tyler then tells Carolyn that he’s heartbroken because she stabbed him in the back. She says Tyler was her most difficult vote, but “Survivor” makes you do things you’re not proud of if you want to get to the end.

Sierra asks Will which trait he would want that the other finalists have. Will says he likes how Carolyn analyzes things and he likes Mike’s work ethic.

Jenn doesn’t have problems with anyone. She then tells the jury that they’re bitter because Mike did better than they did. She says a vote for Mike proves that the voter is a fan.

Dan goes next. He tells Mike that Colby proved that winning immunities doesn’t win you the game. He claims that Mike didn’t care about the jury. Mike says his biggest regret in the game is losing Dan’s trust. He says he’s sorry and he hopes that they can be friends. Dan thinks that’s the most honest thing Mike has said to him since the auction.

Finally, we get to Shirin. She’s very proud that she was able to stand up to Will during his attack. But, she was very moved that Mike came to her aid. She then admits that she made her first million by the time she was 25. She says Mike doesn’t have her vote, because she’s voting for who played the best game and Carolyn is still in it.

She says Mike is like a howler monkey because he’s loud and will rip you apart if you get in his face. She thinks Carolyn is a hidden stingray who will sting you dead if she needs to. She points out that Carolyn was on the winning side of every vote.

Um…what about the Sierra vote?

EDIT: I stand corrected, Carolyn did vote for Sierra.

Finally, she says Will was a dead fish that they dragged in with their nets.

She wraps it up by quoting Sue Hawk. C’mon, Shirin. You can go more obscure than that.

My Thoughts: I’m still pretty sure Mike’s gonna win this, but Carolyn did a heck of a job.

Voting Time: Jenn votes for Mike, Rodney votes for Will, Sierra votes for Carolyn, Dan bangs his head against the voting podium because he’s soooooooo torn, and the rest will have to wait till we get to Los Angeles.

We meet up with Probst in the City of Angels and he’s ready to read ’em. We’ve got one vote for Mike, one vote for Will, one vote for Carolyn, two votes for Mike, and the winner of “Survivor: Worlds Apart” is…Mike.

Verdict: Lindsey called it. A Blue Collar won the whole thing.

Overall, this season had all of the strategy, backstabbing, and craziness that I love from “Survivor,” but it was overshadowed by some ugliness.

Mike’s a solid winner, but this season will probably end up in the middle of the pack for me.

Power Rankings Results: Josh and I had Mike and Rodney in the right spots for four points. While Reed only had Mike in the right spot for two points. So, the final score is Team Josh: 88, Team Reed: 94, Team Gordon 96. Thanks again to the Broadway Betrothed for being such awesome Power Rankings competition!

Quick Note: XFINITY TV will be sending me deep into the wilderness to bring you all kinds of “Survivor: Cambodia – Second Chance” goodness. Before the season airs, I’ll have all manner of behind-the-scenes interviews, images, and more to share. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

For the first time in the show’s fifteen-year history, the fans were given the chance to select the cast of “Survivor.” Over 10 million votes were cast on CBS.com and the results were read during the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” finale.

The cast of ten women and ten men is made up of former competitors who have only ever played once before and have never won the game…

Name:Kelly WiglesworthSeason: “Survivor: Borneo”Finish: FinalistWhy You Should Remember Her: In the season of “Survivor” that first captured America’s imagination, Kelly went on an impressive individual immunity run (four straight wins!) and was the victim of Sue Hawk’s legendary “Rats vs. Snake” speech.

Name: Kimmi KappenbergSeason: “Survivor: The Australian Outback”Finish: Twelfth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Her: Kimmi accidentally let Tina Wesson know that a member of her tribe had previous votes against him. That tribe member was…

Name: Jeff VarnerSeason: “Survivor: The Australian Outback”Finish: Tenth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Him: Jeff was eliminated from the game because of the old rule where tie votes are broken based on the amount of previous votes that were cast against the tied players.

Name: Andrew SavageSeason: “Survivor: Pearl Islands”Finish: Tenth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Him: The leader of the Morgan Tribe was sent home after eventual finalist (and one of two returning Outcasts) Lil turned against him.

Name: Terry DeitzSeason: “Survivor: Panama”Finish: Third PlaceWhy You Should Remember Him: Terry won five consecutive individual immunity challenges and was the first person to have a “Whaaaaambulance” called for him.

Name: Peih-Gee LawSeason: “Survivor: China”Finish: FifthWhy You Should Remember Her: Peih-Gee threw a challenge in China by tossing away a piece of the puzzle and then laughed about it. Classic.

Name: Stephen FishbachSeason: “Survivor: Tocantins”Finish: FinalistWhy You Should Remember Him: “The Wizard” orchestrated the show’s first-ever cross-tribe alliance but received no votes at the final Tribal Council.

Name: Monica PadillaSeason: “Survivor: Samoa”Finish: Seventh PlaceWhy You Should Remember Her: Monica was offered a spot at Russell Hantz’s side at the merge, but she decided to stick with her eight-person Galu alliance. This ended up being a mistake when the Foa Foa four managed to overcome those steep numbers.

Name: Abi-Maria GomesSeason: “Survivor: Philippines”Finish: Fifth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Her: The Brazilian beauty is best known for stabbing her alliance-mate RC Saint-Amour in the back.

Name: Vytas BaskauskasSeason: “Survivor: Blood vs. Water”Finish: Tenth placeWhy You Should Remember Him: The brother of “Survivor: Panama” champ Aras Baskauskas made a strong showing for himself, but was quickly voted out after the merge when the brother pairing was deemed to be too powerful.

Name: Ciera Eastin Season: “Survivor: Blood vs. Water”Finish: Fifth placeWhy You Should Remember Her: Ciera became the only person in “Survivor” history to vote out a family member when she sent her mother Laura Morett packing.

Name: Spencer BledsoeSeason: “Survivor: Cagayan”Finish: Fourth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Him: This “Young Lad” almost went the distance after “Survivor” host Jeff Probst (and…uh…someone else) went on record saying he had no chance to win.

Name: Tasha Fox Season: “Survivor: Cagayan”Finish: Sixth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Her: With her back against the wall, Tasha pulled off three consecutive immunity challenge wins.

Name: Woo HwangSeason: “Survivor: Cagayan”Finish: FinalistWhy You Should Remember Him: Woo probably would have won “Survivor: Cagayan” if he had chosen to take Kass to the final two over eventual winner Tony.

Name: “Chaos” Kass McQuillenSeason: “Survivor: Cagayan”Finish: Third PlaceWhy You Should Remember Her: Kass earned her “Chaos” nickname by turning on her alliance and voting out Sarah Lacina. She also had a very dramatic come-from-behind win at the final four immunity challenge.

Name: Jeremy CollinsSeason: “Survivor: San Juan del Sur”Finish: Tenth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Him: Jeremy had a very impressive run in the game, but he might be best remembered for sending his wife to Exile Island after beating her in the opening challenge.

Name: Keith NaleSeason: “Survivor: San Juan del Sur”Finish: Fourth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Him: Keith accidentally got his own son voted out of the game when he tipped Jon off by urging Reed to “Stick to the plan.”

Name: Kelley WentworthSeason: “Survivor: San Juan del Sur”Finish: Fourteenth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Her: Kelley and her father Dale ended up on the losing end of a family feud that pitted them against Baylor and Missy.

Name: Joe AnglimSeason: “Survivor: Worlds Apart”Finish: Tenth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Him: “Joey Amazing” was a challenge stallion and he crafted the most impressive fake immunity idol this side of “Runaround” Bob Crowley.

Name: Shirin OskooiSeason: “Survivor: Worlds Apart”Finish: Eighth PlaceWhy You Should Remember Her: Shirin got back at Will after his tirade by not allowing him to read his letter from home.

Quick Note: The season might be coming to an end, but stick with XFINITY after Wednesday’s finale for interviews with the final five contestants. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

Finale Rules: For the finals, each player will rank the remaining Survivors in the order in which they think they will finish. The first contestant is the winner, the second received the second most votes at Tribal, etc. Each correct placement is worth two points. The person with the most total points for the season will be named the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Josh and Reed had Dan in spot five while I had him in spot four. So, the current score is Team Josh: 84, Team Reed: 92, Team Gordon 92.

Let’s check in with our three competitors before we put a bow on this season…

Gordon Holmes: So, what’ve you two been up to since we saw you on the show?Reed Kelly: Since our time in San Juan del Sur, my personal favorite player from season 29 proposed to me on stage during the Broadway Boyfriends cabaret at 54 Below. No, it wasn’t Missy, it was the ever-cunning Coyopa kingpin, Josh Canfield! He did a great job of keeping me so focused on prepping for the cabaret that it truly was a #blindside and I could not be more thrilled about it.Josh Canfield: I’m still on cloud nine and we have now begun to plan the wedding.

Holmes: That’s awesome to hear. How are things professionally? Canfield: I’ve also gotten back into the swing of theatre. I recently opened on Broadway in the show “Doctor Zhivago” as Liberius, a morphine-addicted soldier for the wrong side.Kelly: Professionally, I’m back to doing what I do best: lifting famous girls and kicking my leg for money. As we speak, I’m getting ready to start rehearsals to bring “Bombshell” (the Marilyn Monroe musical from NBC’s “SMASH” staring Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty) to Broadway. I’m super excited about getting to revisit this wonderful chapter of my life after having such a blast on “Survivor.”

Holmes: When it’s all said and done, where do you think “Worlds Apart” will rank against the other seasons?Canfield: Definitely not as good as “San Juan del Sur” ;-), but I thoroughly enjoyed “Worlds Apart” and would probably place it between 10-15 as far as my favorite seasons go. A lot depends on this finale and who ends up in that final three.Kelly: I really enjoyed Season 30 and it would definitely make the merge if it were competing against the other “Survivor” seasons: it’s totally dateable.

Holmes: I’ve made my “Second Chance” picks, who are you guys pulling for?Kelly: I’m thoroughly looking forward to “Second Chances,” especially if Keith gets on and figures out how to actually stick to the plan without talking about it. Other than that; Stephen, Vytas, Spencer, Joe, Mike, and Carolyn are at the top of my list.Canfield: I’m really looking forward to seeing Vytas, Spencer, Troyzan, Stephen, Carolyn, and Tasha play again! Here’s hoping they all get that Second Chance!

Holmes: Well, before we head into the final round, I really want to thank you two for being such awesome competition. Canfield: I’m so grateful that I was asked to be a part of the Power Rankings! It’s fun to voice my thoughts even though I’m often very wrong!Kelly: I love this game and I love this show. This whole experience really has been like a fairy tale, and we all know how much I love those too. Thanks, Gordon and CBS for asking us to do the rankings this season! #BigSmiles

1. Mike: I’m hoping Mike is our winner, it would be a great end to a good season. We have seen him make mistakes, we have watched him go from the top to the bottom of alliances, and we’ve seen his humor and his dark side. A very well rounded and satisfying winner. #pleasebethesolesurvivor

1. Mike: Who doesn’t love an against-all-odds, fight-to-the-end, underdog story? I know I do. I have my fingers crossed that this is what we are building up to. As far as Mike’s tribe mates go: they’d be foolish to keep him around until FTC if they can help it, because I believe the jury would reward his underdog story too.

1. Mike: I’m not usually one to back somebody who needs to win out to get to the end, but Mike is a force of nature. He’s also been eating regularly (if you consider one big meal every three days “regularly.”) The title for his autobiography will be “From Scorpion Dinner to ‘Survivor’ Winner.”

2. Sierra: She is the perfect second-place survivor, just look at last season and Jaclyn. They are similarly edited and are even playing a similar game in ways. The only reason she will get votes is if you have angry jury members who are voting against someone else. #secondplaceisbetterthaneleventh

2. Rodney: I can’t figure out if the things we’ve seen from him this season add up to a million dollar win; for me they don’t, but he and Will seem tight and maybe that’ll be enough to get him into the FTC. I sure enjoyed watching Rodney’s madness. It reminds me of the time I saw [Sports Icon] miss that [Sports Action] and lose the [Year] [Championship Event]. Yeah, Rodney was just like that.

2. Sierra: Everyone thinks taking Rodney and Will to the end is a solid strategy, but I disagree. Like Rodney or not, he ran the show for a while. Sierra seems like a safer bet to bring along. Her autobiography will be titled, “Barrel Racin’ and Second Placin’.”

3. Will: Will is the ideal third-place goat, also look at last season and Missy. He will make it to the FTC because everyone knows he won’t get any votes, and he doesn’t have a loved one with him to toss a sympathy vote. #whoareyouagain

3. Will: Good for him for getting this deep into the game. It takes all kinds to play Survivor. He apparently had just the right combination of “non-threat” in both the social and physical elements; and the right personality for this group to get to where he is. From where the viewer is sitting, he seems like the quintessential goat, but who cares? Goats make great money!

3. Will: Does Will get a single vote? Even one? Does anyone bring up that he never delivered on his day-one promise to have sandwiches for the No Collars? His book is titled, “Where There’s a Will, There’s Literally No Chance This Dude Is Going to Win ‘Survivor.'”

4. Rodney: If the final 3 is Rodney, Sierra, and Will, who do you vote for? I guess you force yourself to write Rodney even though you would be screaming and crying as you did so. Rodney’s “Survivor” legacy is complaining, misogyny, and all around negativity. #nobirthdaypartyforyou

4. Sierra: Feels like she played a solid game of Make It To The End and sometimes that is the best a person can do within the confines of their season. I’d be totally cool with getting to see her plead her case at the FTC.

4. Rodney: Rodney is too well-liked to take to the end. There’s a young voting block there. Better to bring someone who never made a move like Sierra. Can’t wait to pick up his book “First Impressions” when I catch his Vegas show.

5. Carolyn: The only other person who deserves to win besides Mike, that’s why I think it will be one of these two with the first snuffed torch of the episode. She has maneuvered this game so well, and has made it to the home stretch. If she finds herself gone, I will look forward to seeing her on S31. #SecondChances

5. Carolyn: Has played a fantastic game throughout and looked good doing it, I just worry for her that people have now clearly figured that out. If I were anyone else still in the game, I certainly wouldn’t want to go up against her in the FTC. Right now she would be a super-satisfying winner for me. All in all, this just feels one episode too soon to be making the last order and I’ve done them like 10 different ways; going with this one finally and can’t wait to see what happens!

5. Carolyn: Mama C. and Mikey T. (“T” for Texas? I don’t know. Stay with me) are the game’s remaining big guns, and only one of them can win that first immunity challenge. Her title? “A Second Chance? Yeah, Baby!”

I don’t know if you guys know this…but they didn’t cancel “Survivor: Worlds Apart” immediately after “Survivor: Second Chance” was announced. Nope! We’ve still got a final five to whittle down into a Sole Survivor.

Like this:

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

In pre-game interviews there are two questions I always use on new players; are you willing to lie and are you willing to flirt? A lot of people hate these inquiries, but I always ask them so we can set a baseline for how someone’s going to play.

For example, in Dan’s Ponderosa video, he points out the difference between his bluffs and Mike’s lies. But, he said this before the game started…

Gordon Holmes: Are you comfortable lying in this game?Dan Foley: (Long pause) Yeah. Oh yeah. Pretty much the only thing I won’t do is sleep with somebody else, and that’s pretty much it. That’s my line in the sand.

I spoke with Dan the morning after his elimination to get his take on if there is a lying line that shouldn’t be crossed, his post-game belief that he’d be portrayed as a hero, and last night’s crazytown Tribal Council…

Gordon Holmes: Last night’s Tribal was a doozy. Did anyone know that Carolyn had an idol?Dan Foley: I’m pretty sure Mike had a good idea that she had it and he manipulated her into playing it. And it was a good move. Good on him.Holmes: In hindsight, do you think you playing your vote advantage tipped her off?Foley: I don’t think it would have mattered. I think Mike had gotten into her head enough that it was irrelevant. She was going to play her idol no matter what. What they didn’t show was Mike, Carolyn, and Will went on the reward together. When they got back, Sierra comes up to me and says, “Hey Dan, listen…Will’s talking about getting rid of you now.” She said, “He asked me if now is the time to get rid of you.” Sierra and I mended fences, so that was percolating in my mind. To use my line against myself, “I can do basic math.” Why would I use my advantage when there’s an odd number of people to make an even number of votes and maybe cause a split? There’s no sense in that. I wanted to wait until there was an even number of players.Holmes: Smart.Foley: So, Will’s talking about flipping. That’s a potential three vs. three. My vote doubling makes it four vs. three. And, Will specifically said, “If Dan has an advantage, he’d better play it tonight.”Holmes: Oh did he?Foley: Yeah, he came out and said it.Holmes: Will trying to flush an advantage. Amazing.

Holmes: Mike’s move at the auction really seemed to hurt you. Having watched the edit, I know that Mike knew he was being targeted beforehand. Now that you’ve seen all the pieces, does that change your opinion on that move?Foley: The whole thing started back when the mix-up happened and Joaquin came into our tribe. We intentionally threw that challenge and Mike and Sierra wanted to get rid of Joe. I said, “No, Joaquin is the bigger threat because Joaquin and Tyler are tight.” Every time we see Carolyn at a challenge, she’s winking and nodding and waving. We knew they were still tight. We assumed they’d still be tight with Shirin….that’s four. And Rodney was gone. If Joaquin stayed in that game, Rodney was gone. There was no getting around it. I knew Rodney was making deals on the side. Power couples have to go. So then we got rid of Joaquin. I knew Rodney was trying to make side deals, but so was I. So was everybody. And when Mike said, “I am 100% blue,” what they didn’t show was when I said, “You weren’t 100% blue when you turned your back on me at the auction.” So, trust is earned, not given. Mike lost his trust and he kept looking at me like I had betrayed him.Holmes: In your Ponderosa video, you pointed out the difference between lying and bluffing.Foley: Right.Holmes: “Survivor” is a game where lying is expected. Where was the line drawn for you that this was a lie that goes too far?Foley: Wow…that’s tough to say. Where’s the line for anything? Are there ever concrete lines in the sand? For some things, of course there are. But, in a game like this where all the lines are blurred and convoluted. I looked at Mike as a friendship. And it’s easy if you’ve never played the game to play armchair quarterback. When you haven’t eaten for weeks and you’re missing your wife and children…when I saw my letter, and it was right in the front, I could see it and I started to cry the moment I saw it. When Carolyn came up with the idea that one person bid and we all go in on it…I looked at Mike and I was sobbing. I said, “Please.” And he said, “OK.” That’s when he lost my trust. I thought we’d made a connection. And at that moment I felt like he’d betrayed my trust. That goes way beyond the game for me. Where is the line? I don’t know. But in my world, that goes beyond the line.Holmes: So, the difference is your lies were gameplay and Mike’s move with the letter seemed personal?Foley: I lied to Tyler when he was going home. Joe asked me who going home, I told Joe the truth. Shirin asked me, I told Shirin the truth. I was willing to lie. But there’s still degrees of lying to people. That’s just gameplay. What Mike did at the auction was different. That went beyond gameplay. If he’d not gone back and he stuck with it…it wouldn’t have mattered. He’d still be public enemy number one.

Holmes: In your Ponderosa video, you said that you were going to be viewed as a hero. Obviously that was not the case. What were you anticipating as far as your edit at that point?Foley: They don’t cast people because they know how to knit and talk about their feelings. They cast people because they’ve got big personalities. And I believe you and Probst said before the game started that you were waiting to see the real Dan. You guys hadn’t seen the real me yet. Have you seen the real me now?Holmes: I feel like…Foley: I’m actually asking you that. I’d like an answer to that. I’ve been waiting to ask you that question.Holmes: Sure thing, I think…Foley: Forget it. Nevermind.Holmes: No, no, we can absolutely have that conversation.Foley: We’ll have to do it later cause we’re on a time crunch. The thing is that I just…now I’ve got myself all distracted. (Laughs)Holmes: (Laughs)Foley: When I went to my final round of interviews, Lynne Spillman asked how I thought I’d come back, and I said, “I think I’ll come back a hero.” And the first thing she said was, “Heroes don’t win this game.” And I said that I wanted to prove that heroes can win this game. We all have our own baggage. I’m not saying any is equal to another, but we all have our own stuff. I’m the fat guy. I own it. It is what it is. I’m an honest guy, some people don’t like that. I got picked on in school a lot because the fat guy never does well in school. When you push me, I will push back. I don’t care who you are. I don’t care about your race, your gender, your creed, your orientation. I will push back. And, I really felt like I was not properly portrayed because lots of things were withheld that could have portrayed me better. I understand that there’s a limited amount of time. But perfect example…Shirin? The most accurate portrayal she has was in Tyler’s Ponderosa video. Sixty percent of his video was her complaining about him. If that’s how she was shown through the entire season, I don’t think people would have sympathy for her. And I think because they showed her differently, we’re all seen differently than we wanted to be seen. I know damn well that I didn’t look like a hero. I looked like a very bad person. And, that’s not who I am. And the people who know me know that isn’t true.

Holmes: In a Secret Scene, you mentioned that you hoped “Survivor” might help you meet your birth father. Is there any update on that front?Foley: No, to the best of my knowledge, he actually doesn’t know I exist. He doesn’t know he has a son. Obviously I’d like to find a way to see if that can happen.

Holmes: Whenever a super fan goes on, I worry that it’ll wreck their love for the game. Where are you with the show now?Foley: It’s kind of like when you go to Universal Studios when they pull back the curtain and show you how the movie magic is done. Do I still love the show? Of course I do. I’m part of one of the greatest reality programs that has ever existed. I spent 14 years of my life trying to get there. I’m thrilled I got the chance and would I do it again? Yeah. (Laughs) I’d play again.

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

We kick things off after Tribal where Mike tells us that he needs to find an idol or win the rest of the challenges. How hard can that be? Fabio did one of those things.

Dan’s not impressed though, as the idol only saved Mike for one more cycle. He goes on to say “To hell with Mike.” Well, that’s the best possible Season 31 endorsement Mike could get.

Carolyn, meanwhile, wants Dan to go because of his advantage. She approaches Mike and spills the beans that the advantage is an extra vote.

Reward Challenge Time: The tribe will be divided into two teams of three. The teams will run down a net, then climb over some obstacles. From there they’ll use a hatchet to release blocks with letters on them. The first tribe to unscramble the six-word phrase will win a chopper tour of Nicaragua and enjoy a surf and turf dinner.

On one side we have Rodney, Dan, and Sierra. On the other is Mike, Will, and Carolyn.

Before the challenge starts, Rodney hopes someone will be nice enough to give him their reward. Mike thinks it’s tough to watch Rodney suffer, but if he just wins he’ll be guaranteed to go.

The challenge starts and Team Rodney has a slight lead up until the word puzzle. But..then…it…slows…down…

An hour goes by and they still can’t get it. Seriously, this is not one of those trademark Holmes exaggerations you’ve grown to love.

Probst gives them like a billion clues. Finally, Carolyn figures out that it’s “A Reward With All the Fixins.”

Probst asks Carolyn if she wants to give her reward to Rodney…and she keeps it. Is there merit in feeding Rodney so he can beat Mike in a physical challenge? I know Carolyn has done well in endurance challenges, but what if the next one involves power lifting or impersonations?

On the reward, Mike pitches Will and Carolyn as a final three. Carolyn’s into it because they represent all the collars. Well, that would make Lindsey’s day-one prediction of a blue collar winning come true.

Back at camp, Dan finds some mystery fruit. They cut it open and find six immunity idols. Just kidding, but they do have a nice little feast. This puts Rodney in a much better mood.

Before we head off to the challenge, Mike tells Sierra that Dan can only beat Will and Rodney at final Tribal. Just thinking of that made me throw up in my mouth.

Immunity Challenge Time: Players will use grappling hooks to retrieve three bags of balls. Then they’ll use one of those balls to complete a table maze. First person to complete the maze wins immunity.

The first person to grapple all three bags is Mike. Dan is right behind him. Sierra and Will eventually join the party.

We watch Mike’s ball roll around the final hole for about a half an hour (there’s that Holmes-trademark exaggeration) before it drops in. Mike wins immunity.

MERICA!

Back at camp, Dan tells us that he wants to get rid of Carolyn next. Rodney, Sierra, and Will agree. And, Sierra tells Dan that the others are targeting him.

However, Rodney, Will, and Carolyn ask Mike if they should get rid of Dan.

Mike takes this news and goes right to Dan. But, Dan doesn’t buy it.

Later on, Mike points out to Carolyn and Sierra that Dan and Rodney are sleeping together and thus working together. He thinks they’re going to target Carolyn.

Wait…don’t get the wrong idea. They were sleeping in the shelter together. Get your minds out of the gutter.

That night at Tribal, Rodney…can’t…put…a…thought…together. He says it’s because of limited food. Well, if SOMEBODY would give up a reward…

Eventually, Rodney admits that he’s sick of being around the same people for so long. But, he’s sticking with his alliance.

Carolyn knows her head is on the chopping block, so she’s nervous.

Dan believes that he’s in trouble too.

Will is also nervous…because? Why be nervous, dude? You’re the most secure finalist ever.

Dan thinks tonight would be a good time to use his advantage, but next Tribal could be better.

Voting Time: No votes are shown.

Probst goes to tally…and Dan stops him so he can play his advantage.

Dan’s Special Voting Time: The vote isn’t shown.

OK, now Probst tallies.

And before he can read them, Carolyn plays her idol. Stop interrupting the man!

We’ve got five votes for Carolyn, one vote for Dan, and the thirteenth person to be eliminated from “Survivor: Worlds Apart” and the sixth member of the jury is…Dan.

Hmmm…would Carolyn have played her idol if Dan didn’t spook her with his vote? They still would’ve won four to two.

Verdict: Dan was like “Blam!” And I was like “Wha?!” And Carolyn was all, “Not tonight, Mister.” And I was like, “Oh, snap!” Then Probst was all, “Tribe has spoken, Dan.”

That was pretty cool. But, I’m worried that “Survivor” is starting to turn into Calvinball.

Who’s Going to Win? If Mike can get to the end, it’s all his. But, Carolyn’s got a solid shot.

Power Rankings Results: Josh and Reed had Dan in spot five while I had him in spot four. So, the current score is Team Josh: 84, Team Reed: 92, Team Gordon 92.

Quick Note: XFINITY TV will be sending me deep into the wilderness to bring you all kinds of “Survivor: Second Chance” goodness. Before the season airs, I’ll have all manner of behind-the-scenes interviews, images, and more to share. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

I’ve been asking myself about a million questions about the “Second Chance” vote, here are five of them…

1. Will fans vote for villains? Do I want to see “Chaos” Kass and Abi-Maria stirring the pot? You bet I do. Will others voters be wary of rewarding their bad behavior? Possibly. I hope not.

2. How powerful is the casual vote? I tend to break fans into two groups; the hardcore fans who can remember every challenge from every season and the casuals who just think of the show as a welcome diversion. Odds are if you’re reading this article, you’re probably a hardcore fan. And if you are, I’ve got bad news for you; the casuals outnumber the hardcores…by a lot. Need some proof? Who do you think was the “Player of the Season” in “Survivor: Philippines”? Penner? Malcolm? Denise? No offense to my favorite “Facts of Life” cast member, but the casual fans said it was Lisa Whelchel.

3. How strong will the recency bias be? Preeeeeeetty strong. I assume recency bias is the reason why Colby Donaldson and Rudy Boesch aren’t in the “Survivor” Hall of Fame. There are “Survivor” fans who are old enough to drive who were one year old when Kelly was the victim of Sue’s legendary speech.

4. How many people from each season should return? It seems like the Worlds Aparters would have an advantage if all five of them were voted on, but I disagree. Odds are if you have Shirin and Mike on one tribe and Joe, Carolyn, and Max on the other, it’s going to cause serious problems. The game doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The other fifteen people know that the #Dirty30 are close. They’d all be immediate targets for fear of them getting to the merge together. For this reason, I’m limiting my votes to two people per season.

5. Have they ever participated in the XFINITY “Survivor” Power Rankings? Hey, you have your criteria, I have mine.

Kelly Wiglesworth – “Survivor: Borneo”: Thirty two names stand before us with the chance to return to “Survivor.” Of them, if CBS were to give me one Golden Ticket to hand out to ensure someone makes the final cut (and believe me, I asked for one), I wouldn’t think twice before handing it to Kelly Wiglesworth. Bring her back!

Jeff Varner – “Survivor: The Australian Outback”: I’m sorry, Kimmi. Of the sixteen people who participated in “Survivor: The Australian Outback,” six (six!) have already been invited back. So, I’m only voting for one person from that season. And since you spilled the beans to Tina back in the day, it only seems fair that Jeff gets the nod.

Andrew Savage – “Survivor: Pearl Islands”: As a victim of the notorious “Outwit Outplay Outcast” twist, Andrew definitely falls into the “deserves a second chance” category.

Shane Powers – “Survivor: Panama”: Do you really need me to explain this vote? It’s a crime that it’s taken this long to bring this man back. Shane is smart, charismatic, and funny. Go vote for him now…and everyday…several times a day.

Terry Dietz – “Survivor: Panama”: People have been dying to have Terry back ever since he won 37 consecutive immunity challenges in Panama, and I’m all for it. Add to that a possible showdown with Aras’s brother Vytas and the storyline can write itself.

Peih-Gee Law – “Survivor: China”: She giggled as she gleefully threw a challenge, she had no problem going toe-to-toe with human “Masters of the Universe” action figure James, and she put up with the horrible Chinese weather. Give this woman a second chance. And while we’re at it; why no Frosti?!

Stephen Fishbach – “Survivor: Tocantins”: You know why I’m excited to have Stephen back on the show? Because of the challenge where you had to memorize the math symbols. Stephen did it in one pass! “Survivor” needs more of that kind of outside-the-box thinking. That, and I have this thing about finalists…

Natalie Tenerelli – “Survivor: Redemption Island”: Some of you out there are going to disagree with me on this one, but I love the idea of someone who has never had their torch snuffed coming back. I’m talking about your Jenna Morascas, your Michael Skupins, and your Natalie Tenerellis.

Jim Rice – “Survivor: South Pacific”: I’ve been beating the Jim Rice drum for years now. The man is smart, he’s creative, and he isn’t afraid to speak his mind. He has the highest possible ceiling and the lowest possible floor. He could be out first or win the whole thing.

Mikayla Wingle – “Survivor: South Pacific”: It’s a shame that Mikayla’s “South Pacific” edit basically consisted of Brandon Hantz’s creepy comments about her. Mikayla is genuinely hilarious, personable, and has the potential to be a real individual immunity threat.

Sabrina Thompson – “Survivor: One World”: Another finalist insta-vote. Also of note, Sabrina could have won the whole thing if she wasn’t partnered with one of the most dominant players ever.

Abi-Maria Gomes – “Survivor: Philippines”: Abi-Maria is the best kind of villain; an unpredictable tornado inside the game and a pretty cool person outside of it. And maybe if I vote for her she’ll send some Xi Cocktails my way.

Vytas Baskauskas – “Survivor: Blood vs. Water”: Ah…poor Vytas. He had all the potential in the world until I picked him to win his rookie season. That endorsement was enough to jinx what should have been a promising contender. As a way to make amends, Vytas has my full support. (And, I’ll be sure to pick someone else to win this season.)

Ciera Eastin – “Survivor: Blood vs. Water”: Ciera voted out her mom. Need me to repeat that? She voted out her mom. My sister is still mad about something dumb my mom said on Facebook. And she had the guts to pull rocks. I won’t even confront my neighbor whose dog keeps pooping in my yard.

Spencer Bledsoe – “Survivor: Cagayan”: Why must we continue this dance? I want Spencer back in the game. You want Spencer back in the game. Put Spencer back in the game immediately. Imagine how much better he’ll be now that he knows not leave idol clues laying around for the Woos of the world to find them?

“Chaos” Kass McQuillen – “Survivor: Cagayan”: Why do we need the chaotic one on this season? Because she’s our greatest villain in a post-Russell Hantz world. Vote for Kass.

Jeremy Collins – “Survivor: San Juan del Sur”: See Vytas.

Max Dawson – “Survivor: Worlds Apart”: Joe’s a shoo-in, Mike (if he doesn’t win “Worlds Apart”) is a shoo-in. But Max? Where Max ends up is going to tell us a lot about the vote. He didn’t last long, he made a rookie mistake, and casual fans weren’t given much of a reason to like him. That being said, Max is a cool guy. He knows the game. And given a second chance, he can probably squeeze in twice as many Keith Famie references.

Shirin Oskooi – “Survivor: Worlds Apart”: Admit it, you want to see Shirin geek out when she meets Kelly Wiglesworth as much as I do. Also, we never really got to see Shirin moving and shaking. From the So elimination on, she was on the bottom of the game. Let’s see what she can do when she has some room to maneuver.